She Who Loves Who?
by EclipseoftheSol
Summary: The pain of love for both who share one. She knows its wrong, and the choice is her's alone. But who? And what will be his decision? WARNING SPOILERS! Marta x Emil (Minor OOC moments, due to boredom and lack of effort)
1. Chapter 1: It Begins with the Heart

**Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World** fanfiction. By **EclipseoftheSol**. All characters and storyline of **Tales of Symphonia Dawn of the New World** belong to their respective owners and creators. **WARNING: SPOILERS**! I have played the game to its good ending, and though the words aren't exact, I choose to tell it in a different variation, though follows the storyline of the game.

** She who loves who?**

** Chapter One: Decision**

It pained her to no end.........both were unique and protective of her well-being, and one was kind and innocent, while the other only fought to protect her. Now she wondered: who to choose?

"Marta?" said a voice behind her.

Marta turned to see the fair face of Emil Castagnier, the timid boy she met in Luin. Though now he wasn't as timid, though still had that bit of fear that made her love him more. She slowly turned around and walked up to Emil, who's green eyes glowed with a child's innocence. Oh, how she loved those eyes.

"Yes, what is it, Emil?" she giggled.

Emil's face slowly grew red after hearing that giggle. Oh, how she loved seeing him go red only for the simpliest of gestures. It showed his innocent side, the one that was so called "manufactured" to hide Ratatosk from his enemies. But she knew that he existed now, and that Ratatosk couldn't fully take over.

Which brought up another problem: If Emil was Ratatosk, and vice-versa, and they were one and the same, who could she love?

"....Marta, Marta, are you listening?"

"Oh sorry, Emil! I was thinking to myself. I'm sorry."

He flashed her a smile. "Hey, no problem. I was saying how Sheena thought we should go to the Summon Spirit of Heart to ask for help."

She heard of the Summon Spirit, who's supposed powers could help grant a person's desire of their heart. And it troubled her. It would come down to something that would involve Emil, and his other self, Ratatosk. And she knew that she wouldn't like it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_So.....you choose yourself over me.....how cowardly_

Emil ignored that thought as Verius talked to him and the group.

" _Emil, when the time comes, I will help with what your heart desires most_." Verius holy voice echoed.

With a nod, Verius disappeared, leaving the room with a much more tensed room. Collete tried to brighten the mood, but it was for naught. Soon, Emil was taken over by Ratatosk again, yelling about the Ginnungagap and the demons. He attacked Lloyd, hatched Lumen's core, then travelled into unconsciousness. And whole while, Marta worried for both of the Emil's she knew.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emil woke up, floating in a space with shifting colours, and a void that wasn't of the world he knew of. He thought he was alone, but soon felt a familiar presence. He turned to see himself, with the red eyes of murder staring back.

_So, boy, what's it gonna be? You know you aren't strong enough. You know if I go away, you won't live, and you won't protect her, the person WE are supposed to protect_.

"But still! You are willing to hurt her and our friends!"

A horrible laugh echoed through the void. _Friends? Please, they are no friends of mine_.

" That's a lie! You respect them as much as I do!"

_Let's see.....Lloyd, who took my core, then tried to take the others? Collete, the stupid idiot Chosen who has managed to survive through wild luck. Sheena, the stupid "ninja" who has fell for more traps than anyone in our group. Regal, who....._.

" Shut up! They had their reasons, and sure, some are clumsy, but they are willing to sacrifice their lives for us both! And for our world!"

_And Marta....who thinks she can love us both! Ha! She's more of a fool than I thought you were! She's as soft as you, even softer! You two are perfect for each other_!

"**VERIUS**!" Emil cried. " End this now! Shut him up! I've made my decision! You know what I want!"

_**NO! YOU WON'T SEAL ME AWAY**_!


	2. Chapter 2: A Fast Forward into the Soul

**(Long overdue update, but I'll restart this chapter from scratch, write it differently from how I started, and so on so forth.**** Dawn of the New World wasn't the best Tales game, but its characters had their own impact for its fans. So I'll continue with where it left off. -E)**

Chapter 2 - A Fast Forward into the Soul

You know how a piece of you is always there, almost living beside you?

A voice.

A light.

A sense.

Something always ticks in your head, reminding you that you aren't alone. Maybe it's your imagination. Or a story from your childhood. A dream. A song.

Maybe it's a split personality.

Take that away, and what are you then, inside your mind and body?

_Alone._

* * *

Emil was resting in Altamira's Lezerano-owned hotel, after the separation of Lloyd and the gang from the Martel Temple. His whole day was spent traveling the world, gathering the sights into his mind, to remember the world he would be leaving behind. The people who had once scorned him and hated him now respected him, and treated him fairly. He wasn't alone anymore. But...with what was gonna happen, in only a few hours...that wouldn't matter.

His plan was foolish. Childish. He placed his hand over his heart, a human heart, Aster's heart. It beat rhythmically, calm and strong. Nothing like it was merely months before, when his mind was still taking shape, in the small town of Luin. Where he met Richter, when he was still so "asleep", no memory would cause him to recognise the half-elf. Where his other side, the summon spirit, Ratatosk, began to reawaken from within the human vessel given the name "Emil" to blend in with humans to escape the one who wanted to break him down to nothing but dust.

After Verius sealed Ratatosk's personality away, Emil felt a little off. Something was gone, something that was irreversably a part of him. Despite how the two sides of Ratatosk were constantly at war with each other, in terms of personality or in actual inhabitation of their body, they did exist so closely that they influenced one another.

Marta was a sign of that.

She didn't move as he had moved his hand over his chest. He had started the habit from the moment of Verius's interaction, a reminder that he was alone in his body. He had even done it before seeing Marta earlier that evening. He was surprised how well she was sleeping, but considering what happened earlier...

* * *

Earlier that evening, when Emil met Marta out in the town, the air was tense, and his heart weighted heavily. He knew that if he told Marta how he felt, and he did was he was planning to do, she would crumble in despair and could never be repaired.

Ok, so maybe that was a _slight_ exaggeration, but this _**is**_ Marta. Obviously, someone as head-strong as her would stay broken after what was gonna happen.

Regardless, Emil admitted his honest and true feelings, and Marta had shown her appreciation the only way she wanted to.

A kiss.

Needless to say, things got a little heated quickly. Being alone in the middle of a large city had its benefits, with no one around, Marta had Emil use his hands to caress her body. Things got interrupted fairly quickly too. Tenebrae had a little too much fun appearing over-top of the pair, scaring Marta, who was red-faced as a tomato, and Emil, who only shot a death glare with a single line waiting to breach his lips.

"Beat it, Tenebie. I'm busy."

The expression on the dog-shaped Centurion was one to behold. His eyes simply widened and said "How rude". And vanished without a trace.

The couple made their way back to the hotel, and took one of the spare rooms left for anyone who was gonna be coming back later that evening. So uncharacteristically, Emil had locked the door.

The moments they shared was, simply put, sweet and pleasurable.

* * *

Emil noted that anyone else would probably have found his actions atrocious, and the women of the group would be harassing him non-stop while the guys would have a very broad spectrum of opinions. He was even surprised himself, acting on lust and emotion.

Probably would have surprised a lot of people if anyone found out...

Considering what was going to happen, and the act that was going to follow through, he felt the mix of happiness and guilt as he had throughout his entire day. Happy he had these experiences, with the people who he could call his friends.

But the guilt of what he was going to cause...hurt. Pain.

He heard Marta mumble in her sleep. She had said something along the lines of...Ratatosk?

"Plea...s...don...go...Ratatos..."

Emil tapped his bare chest, grabbing Marta's hand with his own.

Tomorrow as gonna be a long day.

And his plan better work.

* * *

Marta woke to find a very attractive boy sleeping beside her, his hand intertwined with hers.

_Emil._

The fair-skinned boy who saved her life many times over.

The kind-hearted boy who broke her heart and repaired it at the same time, in one swift action. In one fleeting day.

The slender, feminine boy who was apparently a fake, a personality to protect his real side, a side that was sealed away.

_Ratatosk._

The summon spirit who saved her from the grips of death and violence

The angry, hot headed knight who could handle her with the softest grip, and strongest gaze.

A summon spirit, who took a half of her heart with him when he was sealed.

She knew that Emil only did what he felt was right. To protect her and their friends, he had Verius seal Ratatosk's mind and heart away after Ratatosk nearly caused Lloyd to lose more than a few strands of hair in his quest to get Lumen's core back.

But Ratatosk was still a part of Emil. And now that Emil had sealed that part of him away, she felt a little more alone. A hole was in her chest.

She hated having emotions at times like these. A teenage girl wasn't exactly supposed to be saving the world from a rebellious, zealous, crazy factions that was searching for a genocidal summon spirit. A girl like her wasn't emotionally made for such stress. Not with love in her grasp.

And last night didn't help matters. She got carried away. She was letting her emotions drive her body, and Emil responded, just like she wanted him to.

She wanted it though. Even if it seemed too fast. So selfish, unwomanly, so uncharacteristic, it would make her friends look at her as if she lost her mind.

She grabbed Emil's hand with a little more force. Isn't that how love works?

A tear started sliding down her face. The stresses from yesterday was already getting to her this soon? She thought she could sleep them off, get away from her worries in her dreams. No such luck.

She shook her head. It was ok.

Today, was going to be the final day. And then she could be with Emil forever. The real Emil...

Right?

* * *

A swirl of green and red circled the invisible platform that was surrounded by a white abyss. A figure, cross-legged, sat in a trance, alone with his thoughts. He felt Emil stirring beyond some barrier he could not cross. Guilt washed by like a wave coming on a beach, along with emotions that shook the figure to his core.

Why was his other side so compassionate? Where did it come from? He was never like that.

Ratatosk opened his eyes, his scarlet irises staring out into the abyss of his own soul.

"Emil..."

His voice echoed into the distance, making his soul feel like some spacious spherical prison.

"I finally understand why you're doing this. I understand what I've...what we've done."

He stood up, hands fixing the scarf around his neck. His eyes made their way up, towards what he thinks where Emil's heart is.

"So when you go through with this, whatever may happened...the next we meet, we will meet as equals. We will understand each other."

He opened his mind to the mana of the world, toward the rift within the earth.

The Ginnungagap.

The demons were preparing to break through, full force. With Richter messing with the seal, what may happen after the final battle...

"Hopefully your plan won't have to happen...I guess we'll see how this plays out, won't we Emil?"

* * *

_That's all for now, folks. I don't know if anyone would actually enjoy this little addition, considering I just simply wrote it, barely any thought or rhyme or rhythm. Just going with the flow. I may finalize this with one more chapter, or two._

_Laterz_

-E


	3. Chapter 3: The Body Beyond Control

His eyes.

His beautiful green eyes.

They were filled with anger. _Blind rage._

How could his eyes **ever** hold such a strong, vibrant emotion?

And his hands.

His hands calloused from battle after battle.

Firm yet gentle whenever they trailed over her body.

Any time he held her to protect her or shelter her.

Now they only blocked her only source of air.

**_Emil. Why are you doing this?_**

* * *

"Emil!" Her body spun with smooth momentum, her spinner flashing through the air, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake as Emil casually dodged under her arm and reached for Aqua's core in her pouch. Lloyd dashed as quick as a lightning strike, blocking Emil's path with a wicked slash from his flickering blue blade, his other sword rushing, blood red, stabbing at Emil's collarbone, only to have the blonde Spirit drop enough to have the blade shallowly cut his shoulder.

Every moment from the rapid switch in Emil's personality had left Marta in a state of panic. Time seemed to speed up as she couldn't mentally comprehend all of the information around her.

_Where was the rest of the gang?_ They should help control Emil, Lloyd wasn't enough against the Spirit's skill and power.

A small break occured as Marta and Lloyd catched their breath as Emil slowly paced a fair distance away. He was playing with them, biding his time as they slowly burned out. Lloyd's eyes flickered between the boy in front of him and to his friends at the other end of the room. "Damn, the Centurions have monsters occupying everyone else." He hissed under his breath.

"What a good obedience lot." Emil...no, _Ratatosk's_ voice seemed to slither through the air, catching Marta's ear and making her shiver from fear. "Not like **you**, princess. Defying the natural order of the world. Where summon spirits reign surpreme over the world's well-being. You should have given me the core. You could have lived by my side." She smirked at his remark.

"Not a chance Ratatosk." She stood, spinner held up defensively. "I'm fighting so that people don't have to be subjected to your wrath. I fight for what Emil stands for. But never for you."

Lloyd stood straight up beside her, swords at his side. His eyes reflected the pyres behind Ratatosk, and he seemed noble and proud as his voice rang above the violence behind him. "Ratatosk! I have seen the suffering of the world, and I know that human beings, of any race are the ones who can fix the wounds we inflicted! Why can't you see that?"

"You're a broken record player, Hero of Regeneration!" Ratatosk ran at the pair, his sword carving a path towards Marta's face, as the tag team split up and began the dance of death anew. With the breath of life back in her limbs, Marta used every method possible to beat her attack into submission. She spoke with resolution, as a magic circle appeared at her feet.

_**"Goddess of healing, bless those that stand before you!"**_

Ratatosk's eyes widened to an Emil-like expression of shock, as he took his focus away from Lloyd and charged at Marta. Lloyd had other plans, as a Beast sent Ratatosk crashing into the base of a pyre. Lloyd raised his swords to the sky, as fire twisted around from the base of his feet. "Not a chance, Ratatosk! **Take this**!"

He jumped and spun in the air as energy flowed from his Exsphere, enveloping his swords with a striking white light. Fire and lightning traced his path through the air, as the sky hummed with his power.

_**"Divine...JUSTICE!"**_

_**"Grant me the power to banish evil! RADIANT ROAR!"**_

As the two powers met Ratatosk, a great explosion rocked the Ginnungagap, followed by a wave of healing energy, giving the entire group enough energy to finish off the monster minions. The party quickly gathered at the door to the Demonic Realm, as Ratatosk faltered into a defeated position. Sword embedded in the ground, his ragged breath broke through the silence that had entered the room. Smoke trailed from his body, and his skin bore blood and flickering energy, mana leaking from within the Spirit. He was defeated. And there quest finally done.

Marta walked up to the fallen form, and raised her spinner above her head.

This was it. The defining moment. Where Ratatosk and his vengeful mission would end. Then the world can continue on.

But Emil was looking back at her.

**Emil.**

His head bowed down in defeat. Acceptance. And that broke her even more than him turning on her earlier.

_How could I have missed this? How could I not have noticed?_

She dropped her weapon and grabbed his face. His eyes shot open in surprise, his mouth agape with shock.

"You're Emil, aren't you?"

* * *

_Until the next update, folks. - E_


End file.
